In Nature, an egg that doesn’t hatch with the others is a liability. It is likely that it never developed or stopped developing along the way. It would be folly for a mother to risk her whole brood for the uncertainty that one unhatched egg represents. So, instincts tell the mother to take her babies to safety and in the grand scheme, one egg left behind is business as usual. This is a numbers game. The species will thrive and perpetuate if more survive than are lost. It’s that simple. And in fact, this was a very successful hatch. Six babies alive and well! She did a great job! Yet, as the hours passed and the nest grew colder, I couldn’t help wondering what had gone wrong. On a whim, as I went home that night, I collected the egg and brought it home with me. I just needed to know the fate of that unlucky abandoned egg. I carefully punctured a small hole into the air sac end of the egg and peered inside. A baby gosling! Alive! I could see its tiny bill was penetrated into the air pocket and taking breaths. I quickly placed the egg into my already-heated incubator along with other eggs that were set to hatch the next day. I figured the baby was chilled and needed to be warmed up immediately. I decided to wait and see what happened.

The next morning I faced another dilemma. The baby had not hatched out but I could hear it chirping inside the incubator. Do I leave it to hatch on its own while I am at work all day or is there a problem that is preventing it from hatching? A full day and a half after its nest mates hatched I felt that this baby might need help. It is always risky to intervene in a birth process and the decision is only made after considering all the factors and evaluating what could be gained against what could be lost. The odds seemed stacked against this little one. I feared it might not survive another day inside the egg, so I carefully prepared to assist in hatching this baby out.

WARNING: Graphic pictures to follow!....

The hatch was successful but the baby was weak, uncoordinated and unable to stand or lift its head. That explains why it hadn’t hatched yet. I placed it in a heated brooder with food and water and left for work. When I returned home and examined the situation, it was obvious that the baby had spraddled legs (spraddled or splayed legs is like getting stuck doing the splits) and was unable to stand on its own. It still could not lift its head. Otherwise, it was lively and chatting away.

I decided to attempt to “hobble” the baby by securing its legs with a flexible band that stabilized them while still allowing for movement. I hand fed and watered it and placed in back into the brooder with the now hatched out chicks that it had previously been sharing incubator space with. The gosling didn't like its legs bound, but began to scoot around the brooder on it's belly, legs flopping behind. It seemed able to drink and eat on its own, so for now, I let it be. The next morning brought a huge surprise. The baby had its head up and seemed in control of its body movements. I watched it push up onto its legs and wobble around. It was walking! The hobble was working!! A miracle!

As the day progressed, the baby got stronger and stronger. When I took it out of the brooder to try its legs out on a carpet (for surer footing), it didn’t walk, it RAN! It propped its little wings out for balance and ran all over the place! What a sight! Happily chattering away, baby was on the mend! For the first time since I saw that lonely egg abandoned on the nest, I was able to relax a bit. After three days, I removed the hobble to see if the leg muscles were strong enough to work on their own. I brought the baby outside and placed it on the grass. It immediately took off and ran around, sampling grass and weeds and chirping its heart out. It found a little puddle and took a couple drinks, then ran around some more. If you could paint a picture and call it “Joy” this would have been it. What a journey!

Day by day, this little survivor has improved to the point that you would not be able to tell anything was ever wrong. It is healthy and vibrant. I’ve taken it outside every morning and evening for exercise to gain strength and stamina in its legs. It has enjoyed the company of seven little chicks that practice jumping on and off its back while resting in the brooder. They all sleep together in a pile of fuzzy bodies, chirping contentedly. Life is good!

The time has come to determine the future of this little one. I have researched some wildlife rescues and made the decision to place it with one that will work toincorporate it back into the wild with others of its kind. It is hard to think about saying goodbye. I will be so sad to see it leave! But knowing that one day it might be free to fly the skies and raise its own babies, and that maybe I gave it a chance at life that it wouldn’t have had, eases my mind and heart. I was lucky to have had the opportunity to experience such a beautiful process up close and personal! This baby has earned the right to live a full life and in return I was given the gift of watching it grow and thrive. It’s only been one week, but a week I’ll remember always thanks to a feisty baby goose that never gave up even when all hope seemed lost. A lesson for us all, perhaps.

Every once in a while you get a front seat to a special event. And when Nature is putting on the show, you can bet it is going have all the elements of a modern theatrical production. Oh, and an Encore! But we’ll talk more about that later. This show played out in the parking lot of the building where I work. It lasted about a month. It’s an interesting location, but I’m told that the characters return every year for a repeat engagement. How’s that for dedication to your craft?ACT 1: Boy meets Girl.

She enjoys his company and sneaks back to see him often. He eagerly awaits her arrival.

They must hit it off, because Girl decides he is The One and she gets to work making a happy home.

ACT II: The long wait. She sits.

And sits. And sits.

He works hard to keep himself occupied while he waits.

It's a long wait. She's always checking to make sure everything is just right.

Here, she sends a warning out to those who might disturb her happy little nest. She need not worry. This grass will not be mowed until she has moved on.

It's almost time!

ACT III: They're here!

ACT IV: Last call.

The long wait is over! Daddy returns and is reunited with his new family. But the celebration is short. Knowing the babies are at risk in such a public location, he quickly gathers everyone and they begin the process of moving to a new home. .

Just like that, they took their show on the road. We are left to wonder how the next act would play out. What would become of them? Where do they go? Would we ever see them again? The hallmark of any great performance: always leave the audience wanting more. So the story goes, right? Except, there is more. One more.

One egg left behind. Tune in next week to see our special Encore performance of Boy Meets Girl. Until then for all the latest, news and conversation, check out www.facebook.com/thepocketfarmer. Hope to see you there! :)

What is it about deadlines that makes us crazy? Is it the fear of failure? The loss of freedom? The absence of choice? Normally, I love a good deadline. It allows an ebb and flow to projects. It keeps things fresh. It forces a discipline that increases productivity and organization. It provides a challenge and celebrates motivation. Deadlines are the glue that keeps our lives from falling into chaos. Deadlines rock! Except Tax Day. I HATE Tax Day! Not the paying of taxes, exactly, just the accounting for them. It irritates me. I find it annoying beyond reason. It makes doing anything else a welcome distraction. Dishes? Sure! Clean the cat box? No problem! Laundry? You betcha! I don’t even “do” my own taxes. I have a wonderful accountant who has done them for me for over a decade. He is very calm. Never gets upset with me. Always gets them processed quickly and accurately. We have worked out a very nice system over the years and I actually find the whole transaction very pleasant. But first, I have to get my “stuff” together. And that is where the problem lies. Still left to sort...

I used to be better about it. I maintained my files and kept everything organized. But I was never great. I think I learned this from my father. My whole life, I’ve watched him struggle to get the tax information together. Filing extension upon extension, preparing his taxes was EPIC. Something to procrastinate and dread. He wore an expression on his face that said he was accepting of his fate, but not happy about it. When the deadline could finally be no longer avoided, he’d disappear into his office and there he would stay day after day, until finally the deed was done. Time for a beer. So, this weekend, I am working on my taxes. I know. Big dummy. Why did I wait? I can’t explain it. It is a mystery to me that I would continue to put off the inevitable. Just like my father. I am resigned to get them done though. Finally. My participation in this annual event will be wrapping up today. Monday, I’ll pack the whole thing up and ship it off to my accountant for him to work his magic. Yeah, he already filed my extension. Same as last year. But I’m not going to beat myself up about it any more. It is, what it is. Just one of my quirks. Thank goodness it's raining outside! Gives me no reason to go out and play. No distractions, no excuses. It's time. Tax Day is here. Time to get busy! And besides, there is a beer in the frig with my name on it!

So far, it seems like 2012 has been an uphill climb. We’ve had quite a few setbacks and disappointments. There was the vandalism. We’ve had problems with renters. I lost two duck hatches and Sammy. We had a flying bug infestation. We could use more money and less crises. And time, there never seems to be enough of it. Which makes for not enough sleep. Taxes aren’t done. Garden isn’t ready. I could really use a haircut. So it seems appropriate that today is Easter. A time of mourning is passing and rebirth is upon us. It’s time to count our blessings, clean out the old and get ready for renewal. It could be worse, right? Yes, we are blessed. Our family is healthy and our children are safe. We have shelter, food, money enough to live comfortably. We have our farm and our animals and our freedom. We've had an early spring and lots of sunshine to warm our hearts. The trees have been blooming like crazy and the grass is green green green! A quick look around is all it takes to remind me of how good we have it. And to remember not to take life for granted. We may not have won the Lottery, but we still got Lucky.

This time of year is so special, there is so much to look forward to. The earth holds a promise of great things to come and the signs are everywhere. I wasn't the only one who noticed.

I may not be ready for the garden, but the garden is ready for me. My volunteer lettuce is sprouting up all over the place!

Is it possible that the strawberries will be two months early this year?

I haven't found our morels yet, but I did spot this cool looking fungus.

And finally, if I haven't shaken off the blues yet, I need only go visit Snort. She doesn't let her crooked nose dampen her spirits. She is a fiesty fun little pig!

Happiness is a state of mind. Choose to be happy and it will happen. So, no, I won't be defeated by the challenges we are facing. It makes me stronger and more determined. More thankful. You never know what tomorrow will bring. It's a brand new day!

I hope you and yours enjoy your blessings this Easter! Be sure to visit us on Facebook for all the latest farm/garden news and discussions. Hope to see you there! www.facebook.com/thepocketfarmer

To be honest, losing Sammy has sucked the life out of our little homestead. We are plugging along, but grieving still. We miss our boy! The big news around here is the weather. It was an incredibly mild winter, where the ground stayed soft and the snow didn’t show. The warm temps came weeks before the official start of Spring and everyone is trying to decide if it’s safe to plant. The farmers are hesitating.

The rest of nature is showing it’s hand.

At least a month early!! We haven’t had freezing temps in weeks (last year it froze right up until Mother’s Day), combined with sunshine and rain, it has made for some very pretty greening up! The lilacs are blooming.

The morels can't be far behind. And finally the calendar agrees. It must be Spring! :) Things are starting to hop around here, check back with us at www.facebook.com/thepocketfarmer to catch the latest!

Hi, I'm Sue Pranskus, and this is my sometime blog. It's mostly about my attempts to "green-up" my life. On our little farm we experiment with livestock, gardening, building, repurposing and anything else that we find interesting. Born and bred on the West Coast, I am living in the Midwest by choice, not circumstance. I have built a life based largely on core values and loosely on whimsy. It's that whimsy, though, that gets me in trouble every time!